Hiptage pauciflora Y.H.Tan & Bin Yang, 2018

Yang, Bin, Ding, Hong-Bo, Li, Jian-Wu & Tan, Yun-Hong, 2018, Two new species of Hiptage (Malpighiaceae) from Yunnan, Southwest of China, PhytoKeys 110, pp. 81-89 : 82-83

Hiptage pauciflora Y.H.Tan & Bin Yang sp. nov. Figure 1

Vernacular name.

Shao hua feng zheng guo (少花风筝果) (Chinese)

Diagnosis.

Hiptage pauciflora is similar to H. benghalensis in elliptic-oblong leaf blades, petal shape and size and also shares similarities with H. multiflora in having leaf marginal gland dots, sub-orbicular calyx glands and not decurrent to pedicel, obovate middle wing of samara, but differs from the former by lacking basal glands at the leaf base, calyx glands ovate or sub-orbicular to cordate, scarcely decurrent to pedicel, middle wing of the samara obovate-elliptic, lanceolate bracteoles 7-11 mm (vs. 1 mm); and differs from the latter by its fewer flowers, longer pedicels, without basal glands at the leaf base and elliptic sepals (vs. ovate).

Type.

CHINA. Yunnan Province, Menglian, Chengzi, limestone forest, the voucher from a cultivated plant at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 March 2017, Y.H. Tan & B. Yang, XTBG-0013 (holotype, HITBC!).

Description.

Woody climbing shrubs. Young branches pubescent, older twigs with rounded lenticels, rough warts dot-like. Leaf blades ovate or ovate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong, 6.0-10.5 × 2.5-12.0 cm, base subcordate to cordate, apex attenuate to acuminate, lateral veins 5-8 pairs, without basal glands; young leaves silver-grey pubescent; mature leaves with upper surface glabrous, lower surface sparsely pubescent, conspicuous along the midvein, with 3-6 pairs marginal gland dots. Petiole 4-7 mm long, pubescent. Racemes axillary or terminal, 5-10 cm, silver-grey pubescent; peduncle 0.5-2 cm. Flowers pink; Bracts triangular to ovate-triangular, 1.5-2 mm, bracteoles lanceolate, 7-11 × 1-3 mm; Pedicels 1.8-2.9 cm long, pubescent, articulate at the middle to a little above the middle; Calyx with 1 gland, prominent, ovate or sub-orbicular to cordate, scarcely decurrent to pedicel; Sepals elliptic to ovate-elliptic, ca. 5-7 × 2.5-3 mm, apex obtuse, base truncate, pubescent outside; Petals 5 per flower, pink, with yellowish blotches, ovate-oblong to suborbicular, 1.2-1.4 × 0.8-1.1 cm, glabrous, base rounded to subcordate, apex rounded, margin fringed, claw 1-1.5 mm; Stamens 10, differing in size, the longest filaments 12-13 mm, circinate at apex, the short ones 5-8 mm, anther ca. 1.5-2 mm long. Ovary ca. 2.5-3 mm in diam., pilose; style1.2-1.4 cm long, glabrous, circinate at apex. Mericarps hairy, middle wing obovate-elliptic, puberulous. apex rounded, base obtuse, margin sometimes repand, 1.7-2.5 × 1-1.3 cm, lateral wings oblong, apex obtuse or rounded, margin sometimes crested, 1.3-1.6 × 0.3-0.5 cm; dorsal wing present or not, 2-4 × 1-2 mm.

Phenology.

Hiptage pauciflora has been observed in flower at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden under cultivation from the beginning of March and in fruit from March to April.

Etymology.

The species epithet refers to its inflorescence with fewer flowers, usually 1-8 flowers.

Distribution and habitat.

According to the introduction record, H. pauciflora was originally collected from Menglian, south-western Yunnan. Additional collections in the future may help to clarify its full distribution.

Conservation status.

Due to insufficient field surveys so far, very few details about its natural distribution and population status are currently known. The lack of suf ficient data does not allow a final risk evaluation and the species might be regarded as data deficient (DD) according to the IUCN Red List Categories ( IUCN 2012).

Specimen examined

(paratypes). CHINA. Yunnan, Menglian, Chengzi, limestone forest, 7 February 1976, G. D. Tao 9082 (HITBC!, IBSC!). Menglian, from Mangxin to Chahe, 22°12.985'N, 99°35.292'E, alt. 987m, limestone forest, 29 March 2010, E. D. Liu, W. Fang, W. Z. Ma & H. J. Dong 2376 (KUN!). Menglian, Chengzi, the voucher from a cultivated plant at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 8 March 2018, B. Yang & H.B. Ding, XTBG 0044 (HITBC!).

Figures

Figure 1. Hiptage pauciflora Y. H. Tan & Bin Yang, sp. nov. A, B Habit C Inflorescence (lateral view) D Inflorescence (frontal view) E Flowering branch F Flower bud G Flowers (lateral view) H Flower (frontal view) I Flower (I 1 Petals; I 2 the longest stamen; I 3 the 9 short stamens; I 4 Pedicel; I 5 Calyx; I 6 Style) J Samaras (lateral view and showing calyx gland) K Samaras (vertical view) L Samaras (dorsal view) M Leaves (adaxial view). Photographed by Y. H. Tan, H. B. Ding and B. Yang.